Love Thy Enemies

A number of years ago, there was an article in the newspaper about the burial of one of the Boston Marathon terrorists. Apparently, authorities had an extremely difficult time finding a location to bury this man. No one would accept the body. A woman named Martha Mullen heard about the dilemma and worked hard to find a burial plot for this man. When she was asked why she would ever do something so kind for this horrible person, her reply was simple: “Jesus told us to love our enemies.”

What a beautiful witness to Jesus’ teaching. 

Jesus did not teach us to join or condone our enemy's actions. No. But he did say we are to love them. 

I find that very difficult - and very challenging. At the same time, I know that hate has a way of making the world a little uglier, and it corrodes the soul. 

Martha Mullen didn't make headlines for agreeing with a terrorist. She made headlines for refusing to let hatred have the last word. That is the quiet, costly, countercultural work of loving one's enemies — not excusing what they have done, but refusing to be defined by our response to it. It is, perhaps, one of the most distinctly Christian acts a person can perform in a broken world.

Prayer: Loving God, you call us to one of the hardest things imaginable — to love those who have done terrible harm. We confess that mostly we don't want to. We ask not that you remove our sense of justice, but that you keep hatred from taking root in our hearts. Open us again to your undeserved grace, forgiveness, and love. And may they be ours to share with this world that is so desperately in need. We ask in Jesus' name. Amen. 

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